


Hireath

by JackWhisperer1011



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers Tower, F/M, Good boy loki, Happy Family, Heartbreak, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Major Loss, No endgame/ragnarok, Pregnancy, Recovery, im sorry, loki as an avenger
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:20:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29098689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackWhisperer1011/pseuds/JackWhisperer1011
Summary: Loki has finally got the family he always dreamed about. When Loki gets called to Thor’s aid, he never imagines what will happen next. How will he and his family recover?Starts with a short intro chapter but all other chapters are lengthy. Loads of fluff but loads of angst. No beta so I’m sorry. I love comments on what you want to see, what you enjoy, and what you came to the story for.
Relationships: Loki/Sigyn (Marvel)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

Loki wrapped his arms around Sigyn, placing his chin on her shoulder and staring across the kingdom with her. They drew in a deep, relaxing breath simultaneously. The curtains behind them swayed gently in the wind, the temperature just cool enough after a long, hot, day. 

Everything about this moment was peace, perfection. Love filled his heart as he sighed into his wife’s neck and smoothed his hands over her belly. The swell of it filled his soul with a soothing, thrilling sensation that sometimes could almost bring him to his knees. 

Ever since she had first let him know she was pregnant, they had been fretting and worried. But tomorrow was the big day, they would have their babies in their arms. With the best care all the realms could offer, and no concerns, Loki was truly able to enjoy the growth of his family. 

He missed his mother. Frigga would have been so glad to see him settling in, building a family of his own. Sometimes, Loki even wished Odin could have seen these accomplishments, if only out of spite for never believing he could do such things. 

Thor had been incredibly supportive. Loki still was no good at accepting the public displays of kinship and love he sometimes received, but he had found a sense of belonging which he cherished. In their jests was no longer an underlying malice, but sparks of admiration for one another. 

As Thor ascended the throne and built a family, working with the Avengers every so often, he had grown up an exceptional amount and was now an Allfather beyond what Loki had ever imagined. Even as he did assign Loki to be his advisor, he never attempted to sabotage his brother. 

Seeing the good in his brother, and hoping there was still good in himself, had changed him. He had been forced to grow and change over the years. When provided the opportunity to pursue a romantic interest, he vowed to be dedicated to her. After a few years of behaviour he had regretted, falling back on learned coping habits, Loki had been dedicated to having candid discussions with both Sigyn and Thor about his life, and his family. Vulnerability was far more terrifying than any monster he had faced, and the triumph much sweeter. 

“All we have done. All we have been through. All worth it, to receive these precious gifts.” Loki murmured into Sigyn’s hair as he swallowed hard. 

“Well, my love, you do not have to birth them. It is not until after I have done so, that I will be so joyous. However I am overwhelmingly grateful for them, and cannot wait to meet our children.” Sigyn turned around on the balcony, exchanging soft kisses with her prince. 

Endlessly excited and content, the two lovers stared out at their home, preparing for a wonderful journey of parenthood. In love, and blissfully unaware of their future down the road. But love conquers evil, at least in the stories.

*longer more involved chapters after Chapter 2


	2. Born for Greatness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few views into different years with Loki's twin boys.

On the day of their birth, Sigyn decided to name her sons Narvi and Vali. 

Everything she did for several days was painful. Birthing twins was as difficult as she had imagined one could complete the task safely. However, the aftercare was significantly more for her body than she had ever imagined. Thankfully she had Loki there, taking care of her like it was his favourite thing to do. Her husband was fawning over her, and doing everything he could to let her rest and sleep. She supposed that task would be simpler if there hadn't been two babies instead of one. She was only woken for feedings, and never had to be more mobile than necessary. Every so often, she would wake to soft songs or stories. Loki was truly her hero, and her heart swelled to be able to give him the family and belonging he knew he always craved. 

As she was roused by the sound of people outsider her door, she noticed the babies were no longer at her bedside in their cribs. Upon hearing Thor's jovial laugh, she knew where they may be. It had been a few days since their arrival, and Sigyn had approved visitors. It had taken a while as she wanted the bubble of their beautiful little family to remain in tact for as long as she could. To her surprise, it was Loki who suggested Thor would appreciate greeting his nephews. Earlier in their lives, he surely would have denied anything he believed Thor could want.

"Brother, I have never SEEN you so pleased! They are perfect." Thor boomed from the other side of the door. Sigyn wanted to say hello, so she slowly made her way to the bathroom to adjust her hair and put on some makeup. She didn't need to look the way she physically felt, and she appreciated having a few minutes to make herself feel pretty again. 

Staring at her reflection, Sigyn wondered which one of her baby boys would look like her the most. Maybe they would both resemble their father. Each had light peach fuzz on top of their heads currently, so no telling whether they'd be blonde or dark haired. Being fraternal helped, but also was exciting as they would eventually get to watch them grow into themselves differently. She wasn't sure if genetically, Loki would pass down his own looks. But they would find out. For now, she would simply try to memorize each feature of their baby cheeks, their barely-open eyes, and the way they couldn't get enough of their parents holding them.

Emerging from the bedroom, Sigyn was welcomed with utter silence, each man holding a baby and staring at her. She became rather self-conscious, like she had interrupted. Maybe they were staring at her still disheveled look, or the fact her stomach was still quite round, or maybe the baby weight was more noticeable now. Sigyn almost started to cry when suddenly Loki's soft smile bloomed and she felt like the most loved woman alive. He quickly came to her, seeing the watery eyes. With a baby in one arm, he ran the opposite hand through her hair and kissed her forehead. 

"Thank you," he murmured. Thor was staring at Vali like he was the most magical creation. Loki handed her Narvi as he gave her a look that meant he would explain later.

"Lady Sigyn, you have blessed us with more family. I cannot explain how grateful we are. Loki was just discussing this with me, my apologies for our lack of greeting." Thor wrapped his arm around her and shifted the babies so they were side by side. "They already look quite different!" 

"Yes, I hope they never compare themselves to each other. They are perfect." Sigyn now understood what she had walked into. Delicate conversations were hard to have with Loki, who could easily withdraw or lash out at any time. He had been working hard against these instincts for years, but it was still a bit of a risk when bringing up heavy topics. 

"They shall have our full support, no matter their differences. Each accomplishment shall be equally celebrated!" Loki had voiced this concern to Thor, when they found out it was twins. They'd only intended on having one child, in the interest of never having to fret over competition or one feeling more loved than the other. Upon the discovery there would be two, their plans had changed to having a large family, as many children as they liked. Loki had spoken to Thor at length about never pitting them against each other. Though they would not be princes, they would be twin boys of royal lineage. The natural contempt surrounding the throne would be overwhelming if the family allowed it to be.

"I thank you for your assistance with that. We truly appreciate it and hope the boys grow up loving one another." Sigyn kissed the forehead of both, before walking with Vali to the rocking chair. Thor and Loki shared the sitting room couch, and laughed together about childhood stories as they daydreamed over the boys' futures. 

When it came time to feed the boys, Sigyn took them to the bedroom. She could still hear everything that was being said, as Loki had cast a spell to always hear in the rooms, for the babies, and had forgotten to remove it. Trying not to listen was indeed difficult when she heard her own name. 

"Sigyn has truly been outstanding. It has taken so long to get where we all are today. I have no doubt you have tested her patience, brother. There is nothing better than welcoming my nephews into our lives knowing they will not be dealing with our baggage from years past. Father would be proud, you know. Growing up, you were so volatile. He never knew what to do with you, never knew how to understand." Thor paused, assessing Loki's response thus far. When Loki didn't seem to recede, or yell at him to stop, he sat across from him and decided to continue.

"I am planning to have my own children in the future. But this would greatly limit my ability to both be king, and an Avenger. I would need you to be able to help in that department as well." Loki's face turned to a cool mask, waiting to hear out the rest of this proposition. "You would have lighter work as my advisor in return, and a home at Stark Tower for you and your family, should you ever need to go. I don't expect you to take the exceptionally dangerous missions, I know you have the children to think of. But even giving insight, or assisting them in other tasks."

Sigyn froze in the bedroom after laying the twins down, wondering what Loki's response would be. Wondering if she was hearing this all right. 

Thor gave Loki a moment to process, but then soldiered on.

"They... the soothsayers said you needed to redeem yourself, and I think helping the Avengers is the way to do that. Make it all right in the eyes of the Norns. You have had hundreds of years of chaos in your wake, and now is your chance to balance the scale. For your sons, for Asgard, and for the prediction of Ragnarok. They said to avoid it, you needed to balance it out, I am simply trying to help." Thor sounded as though he was begging. Maybe he was. He wanted this time of peace and happiness to continue, and to do that Loki would have to rectify the prediction of an altered Ragnarok.

"I do wish Mother were here. She would know just what to say." Loki tried to change the subject, avoid an answer for now. "I will consider your proposition, if only to counteract my previous war waged in New York. But let today be a day of celebration, and you to spend with my sons. I love them dearly, and wish to bask in that just a little longer, if I may."

Sigyn quietly shut the door to the bedroom for the twins to nap, fully aware she was interrupting. She pretended not to know, and said a soft "Hello, again."

Thor returned to his jovial self. Loki likely had a heavy weight on his heart, and yet looked so please to see her she couldn't do anything but change their subject and start discussing the boys with Thor. 

For hours, they conversed, watched the twins, ate meals, and worried not. Sigyn had never felt such a marvelous amount of love for anything before. It was like she could have taken a snapshot of the three of them fooling around, making plans for the sons, and in good spirits. If only she could bottle up this memory and use it the rest of her life, never fading. It was all she had ever hoped for.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We actually start getting into things here! Please let me know what you like or don’t like. What do you think is gonna happen!?

As the boys grew, Loki and Sigyn became more and more excited about being parents each day to such wonderful children.

Vali learned to walk and run before Narvi could even do more than crawl. However, Narvi followed in his fathers footsteps and was learning words and colours quickly. Vali was blonde, as his mother and most Aesir were, but Narvi had his father’s dark hair. If he had been unawares to his Jotunn roots he may never have guessed it based on his children who mirrored himself and his brother. 

Today was another Avengers day, and Loki hated to waste a moment watching his boys grow. The past several journeys to Midgard were mere days, and had mostly been routine. He wasn’t a part of the squad, for the most part, which left him to use his tricks to retrieve important items. Surely Thor was more involved than this when he took his assignments, but Loki couldn’t complain. Returning home was his only goal at present. 

“Loki, please send word to me should anything happen. I have a bad feeling about this assignment. I worry something will keep you longer.” Sigyn wrung her hands together, looking at the play room. She had been a little uncomfortable any time he was away, remembering what it was like to have family go off to war. 

“Papa!” The boys called one after another. Vali rushed to his feet, trying to hold onto his leg and prevent him from leaving. His battle clothes and helmet were starting to give away his plans to depart. 

“My lovely sons!” Loki knelt down to embrace them both, as Narvi toddled over. He scuffed up both their hair, kissed them on the foreheads, and gave each a big hug. Narvi reached for Loki’s horns on the helmet. Loki gently intercepted and put his hand on his cheek instead, then placing his opposite hand on his sons cheek as well. 

“I will return to you, I swear.” Partly whispered to his sons, partly to his wife. Mostly to himself. Loki knew the risks each time he took a mission, but Thor was right about making amends. If he didn’t at least try to shift the scales, he may not like to see the consequences. Being Jotun helped, at least then he was nearly impervious. 

After saying his goodbyes, Loki used his abilities to get to the Avengers Tower. It was a process that was slightly less draining each time he did it. But if he used the Bifrost after its repair, he wouldn’t be able to go straight to the tower without raising awareness from others. 

***

“We were under the impression your brother was attending. Might I ask what gives us this pleasure today?” Nick Fury, still not Loki’s biggest fan, was looking up at him from the layout of something. 

“Sorry to disappoint. My brother has many duties, but I assure you I will be of some help.” 

“Yeah, but we need a man on the inside today. You have been remarkably passive.” Nick was obviously suspicious over Loki’s reluctance to put himself in harms way any longer. He had been less arrogant and protected his safety. Unusual, indeed. 

“Is this not Stark’s building? Are you still even part of this?” Redirect. The only person here who knew anything was Stark. Even so, he only had this information because he was in charge of what to do with Loki any time they made a plan. Having his own child on the way, he understood how much things would change. Clint also had a family, but Loki felt like he couldn’t know. That bridge was gone. 

“Are you sick? Weak? Or just afraid?” This tactic was more effective than Loki wished. He still hated being undermined or second guessed. 

“Even if I were all of the above, you couldn’t stop me nor afford to lose me as an ally. Stop antagonizing me, or you won’t have to worry about this mission.” 

“Alright, thanks for getting us started off on the right foot, Fury. I’m sure that’ll make things go way easier.” Tony entered the room, rolling his eyes and eating a snack. 

“I told you I don’t want to be on the same assignments. What is stopping him from jeopardizing this mission? Especially if he isn’t coming in with us, there is no risk for him. He can steal the artifact, or abandon us. I don’t trust him as far as his brother can throw him. If he isn’t in the thick of it with me, I’m not going.” Fury sat dramatically in one of the chairs around the room. He crossed his arms and frowned strongly at the two other men. 

As Loki opened his mouth to reply, he was interrupted by the doors opening so the rest of the team could pour in. 

“Ah, if it isn’t my best friend, Loki.” Clint sarcastically greeted him, but then waved and didn’t seem too put out, likely sensing the tension. 

“Hello, everyone. My apologies for getting your hopes up. Wrong Asgardian was sent, I suppose.” Loki looked to Tony, unsure why he would ask him to come if he knew the other members who disliked him would also be joining. 

“Alright. Everybody cool it. Tall, Dark and Broody here is gonna help us get into a vault to retrieve what could possibly be a valuable asset today. It’s a person. She has been locked up in a Super vault, because she can sense and control how others feel. She was part of a little band of misfits from space. We are gonna meet up with her friends, and try to get her back. It’s to earn their favour because they can probably help us with this whole Thanos issue.” 

Everyone was intently listening, but Fury was still glaring at Loki. The intense gazes from he and Clint were wearing on him. Everyone else worked on missions with him and he had never done anything to lose their faith. 

“The person keeping her is a master manipulator. She can’t read minds but she can see anything you ‘exude’ for your thoughts. So if you are afraid, or think of something a little too long. It’s more of a reflection of your mind. Angst Boy will talk to her for us while we take out her back line. It should be small, she doesn’t have an army. She uses her own powers and tactics to steal powerful people, lock them up, and then sends them to Thanos.” 

“I am meant to use my silver tongue against this woman? Do we know anything about her for me to use?” 

“Not much. Just keep her talking. She isn’t known to fight but I’m sure you can get some kind of distraction going?” Tony seemed so surefooted in this venture. 

“So these are the blueprints?” The Black Widow stepped forward to get an idea of her goals. Loki felt like the team was more than enough to get in and retrieve someone, if he kept this woman entertained long enough. 

After a lively discussion of best routes, Loki glanced over to notice Fury had yet to speak a word. His eyes were still locked on Loki, and his eyes were still fierce. 

“What if he screws us?” The chatter stopped and people waited for someone to defend Loki. “Wouldn’t it be easy for him to just let us all get caught and either killed or sold off to Thanos?” 

“Fury, you’re only here to monitor everyone’s devices and help them get in and out. If this is gonna be a problem, I’ll ask Maria. Or anyone else who can read a map.” Stark was receiving oddly suspicious looks from people as to why he was playing guard dog to Loki. Fury furrowed his brow even deeper. 

“I will be inside in order to challenge her. If she is as powerful as you say, I won’t be able to escape without everyone else.” 

A generally palpable feeling filled the room until Tony dismissed everyone. They would be leaving in the afternoon. 

“Hey, sorry about them. I get coming from somewhere dark, and trying to make your rights again. Just don’t mess this up.” Romanoff tried to ease things over. It barely touched Loki’s distress. 

He just needed to get in, use his magic words, and get everyone out.

***

In a small tavern in an even smaller town, Loki approached a door as directed. He knocked thrice, gave a code word. The rest of the team would surely be waiting to pounce on the only other entrance. 

“Who might you be?” A tall, veluptuous woman emerged. She was eyeing Loki like her next meal. This woman was nearly Amazonian in size, a raw and intimidating attitude about her. With her bright red painted lips, she leaned next to his face to whisper, “Don’t lie.”

“I am Loki Odinson.” He cringed to use the surname, knowing it was inaccurate. But why use Laufeyson. He was barely entirely on board using his own name, knowing her connection to Thanos. “Here to ask you if there is anything I can do to help. I need back into Thanos’ good graces after escaping my realms prison.” 

“Ah, Loki... I am Delphine.” a low purr emitted from the woman. “You have been a very bad boy. I wonder, what is on your mind?” 

Delphine stared deeply at him, mouth pouting as she played with him. Loki was careful what to project most. It was not difficult to replay most elements of his anger after being taken to the dungeon, or defeated on Midgard. He let his ancient wounds pour for her. 

“A little vengeance?” Delphine patted a seat at the table, and had the guard close the door to the tavern. He was well and truly stuck in here with her, now. There were two other guards down the hall, protecting whatever was down there. Cells for her prisoners, he assumed. 

Loki sat, laughing at her proclamation.

“Of course. I have had much time to consider these things. I heard about your little game, here. I would gladly have myself handed over.” Loki was prepared for games, challenges, and manipulation. He hadn’t expected the woman to slip from her chair onto his lap. 

“I’m not sure I would hand you over to Thanos... might keep you as my play thing.”

Loki fought to keep his head in the game. He immediately moved to play along, but he must have been a moment late. As his fingers started sliding down her neck and hair, she glowered at him menacingly. 

“Who is THAT you think of?” Her voice changed from sultry to scathing. “I see her, golden hair and all. Men who have lovers lose focus on revenge.” 

Delphine was not wrong. He had long lost his edge of anger and malice. Working on your mental health really does that for you. 

Thoughts schooled back on how angry he had been five years ago, he had to respond without touching any thoughts of his family. 

“Perhaps they do not. However, I have lost more than I’ll ever have. I even lost my mother.” Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell exactly how much she would see, or see through. 

“You lost the woman I saw?” Delphine read his body language, searched his facial features even if they were schooled. “Show me your loss.”

Caught. Loki couldn’t scour his thoughts for a false story without showing Delphine his life with Sigyn. If he thought too hard he would reveal himself. 

Loki thought of the guard telling him his mother died. The guilt surrounding her death, the screams of anguish he let out even when the guards could hear. But he substituted is wife’s name hoping Delphine would believe.

Delphine seemed to breathe in the emotional vulnerability. She practically bathed in his heartache, watching the story unfold before her. 

Loki looked away ashamedly. He felt uncomfortable gazing upon someone so boldly behaving this way. As her noises quietened, he peered back up to the woman. Greatly startled, he realized she now had the face of his wife. 

“Darling, wouldn’t you like to have me one last time?” Her voice was all wrong, as she never heard it. But then Loki thought of Sigyn and the way she sounded. His favourite memory of her vows, her pleasure, her singing in the mornings. 

“Loki, what is it you want most? Revenge for me? For your mother? I can’t trust you if you don’t tell me everything. What made you think returning to us, to Thanos, would help you?” The voice was Sigyn’s. Her face, it was all straight from his memories. 

If he got off track any longer, she would figure it out and they would all be screwed. Fury would be proven right. It was the first time he had felt in danger in a long while. He had told Tony he was fine, that he would go in. The drive to ensure Fury ate his words had driven him to a rash decision. 

-

Fury was watching Loki’s video comm. He had already heard the woman’s advances. Unable to see her shift into whatever she had found in Loki’s mind, he tried to make sure he was at least budgeting everyone’s time to how long it looked like she would stay entertained. Whatever she did to Loki didn’t matter, as long as it kept her busy. 

“It looks good. We sent the right guy in to keep her occupied, I think. Keep it under 10 more minutes and we should be fine. Make sure you collect our Asgardian friend on the way out.” Fury was watching the placement of everyone carefully. 

-

“Thanos can help me get an army back, so I can help him collect the rest of the stones and destroy these Midgardians. I am the only one that can keep my brother away from him while he does so.” 

Watching someone in his wife’s skin, with her stolen voice, made him angry. 

“You can have your dead lover again. Would you like that first? Then we can send you off to Thanos. Stand up, my handsome friend. Show me what you would do if you hadn’t lost this beauty.” Delphine slipped onto his lap once more. 

As her lips met his, he felt deeply disgusted with himself. His heart broke that he would do this to his wife, and for just a second he thought of his sons. 

“Why would you think of your brother at a time like this?” Delphine had clearly seen the faces of Narvi and Vali. Assuming the young blonde and raven haired boys were Thor and Loki, she wasn’t onto him yet. Loki’s blood froze, obsessively training his face and thoughts. If he didn’t tread lightly, he could end up in a world of pain. 

“I was thinking of our childhood, and how he will be my first victim of revenge. He allowed me to be locked away. He didn’t even allow me to attend our mothers funeral. Any funeral.” Tap into the rage, yes. 

She seemed appeased by his reasoning, and continued to move herself languidly against him. The dirtier he felt the more afraid he became. This was too close. 

As Delphine leaned in to capture his mouth once more, she drew her hand down his front at the same time. 

“Ah, you wanted to see this form pregnant. Well, maybe you still can.” She touched him in ways that made him wish to vomit. He would not rest until he killed her himself. But he couldn’t think on it too hard or she would know. So he thought of Sigyn in ways he hoped would only feed Delphine just a little, not leading her to delve further nor question. “Or had you, already?” 

Loki threaded his fingers through her hair. He needed to stop the talking, or postpone it. Take one for the team, get her distracted. Stop the endless questions. 

“She was beautiful. This is certainly what I would do if I had her around. But we both know I can’t accomplish that alone.” 

Moans that were familiar fluttered to his ears. His blood boiled to know he was probably being monitored. Certainly he would report this to his wife to clear his conscience. 

“LIAR” Delphine screamed into his face. 

Delphine shoved Loki backward, causing him to fall to the ground. He was momentarily stunned. The sound of guards filled his ears as she stepped directly on his throat. He immediately went to kick her, he knew he was certainly powerful enough to physically take her. Suddenly he felt a chain on his neck. 

Had that been there before? When had she managed to put it on? How long did he have left before the team would be there to escape together? 

“Delphine, wait!” Loki tried to convince her to calm down. “I am telling the truth. Please! I came here to get back to Thanos. You are bringing up painful memories. You must not punish me for this. As much as you want pleasure I simply have one goal and that is revenge.” 

The guards were shackling him to a chair. If he started a fight too soon, he would jeopardize the mission. He was too late to use most of his other skills. 

“You do not speak the truth. Once you no longer speak, we will see what the truth is.” Delphine had not transformed back into herself. It horrified him further when she pulled out a thick thread and needle, grabbing his face, all while wearing his wife’s mask. 

The team better come for him soon.


	4. Cheshire Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> READ THE WARNINGS. Brace yourselves.

Delphine had spent what seemed like an age screaming at Loki not to speak. He would open his mouth to use his silver tongue and she would choke him with his collar. Chitauri guards were holding him down, restraining him with some kind of metal. As one held a staff directly to his chest, it sent waves of electrocution through him. Loki managed to move or even try to speak, but couldn't fight off the small army. He begged for the Avengers to rush in at any moment. The guards were rushing and skittering down the hall, but Delphine's hold on his face, kept him from being able to see what they were gathering. 

"Ah, Loki," Delphine schooled her features to that of his wife's once more. She smiled, leaning in. "I see your friends in your mind's eye. I can't believe it took me so long."

Loki scolded himself for having let his mind wander. He knew better, and had now put the entire mission at risk. 

"Did you really think they were coming back for you? They didn't need you except to get me distracted. They did send the right man for the job." Delphine circled him like a predator. Would they have abandoned him there, after escaping with the prisoner? Maybe he had been cannon fodder. Would that not cause some sort of bad blood between the Avengers and Thor? Loki was losing control of his train of thought quickly. She knew which buttons to press, his fear of rejection was something he had never been able to stifle.

I thick gravity overcame Loki, as if he suddenly realized he had been left behind. His fight against the chains subsided as the staff ceased its electricity against him. No words came forth, much to Delphine's appreciation. She continued to circle her prey. Upon looking up at her, at Sigyn's face, and quietly gathering his strength, he schooled his thoughts and gave a Hail Mary.

"Shame. We could have had it all. Imagine, your perceptive abilities next to a liesmith. Our powers, We could have done great things for Thanos." Loki croaked along as Delphine reached and held his collar down harder on his neck as he made his last attempt. "Let me go. You've proven they had no allegiance to me. What more do you need for me to show my devotion to pay back?"

Delphine grinned a massive smile down at him, her Chitauri guardsmen quieting and staring at her, waiting for her command. After years without practice, he had failed in many areas of infiltration tonight. As he waited for her next move, he swallowed his panic in attempts to maintain his mind on the mission and not to reveal his final pieces of information he hadn't freely given to this high-ranking member of Thanos' army. Wouldn't that man just wring his neck if he found him. Much like the hold on his collar was doing now. Damn the Avengers for sending him in at all, he wasn't ready.

"I can't wait to get inside this head of yours, and figure out exactly what you know. But to do that, you going to have to be silent." Delphine waved the Chitauri over, wielding the coarse suture again, with its dirty and threatening needle. The guards had surrounded him with weapons in the case of his escape. They had been gathering her supplies. Loki felt his heart race as he eyed the hands above his face, suddenly holding his jaw shut. Loki's face was stabbed with some sort of syringe, a complete paralysis occurring. He couldn't move his face regardless of the pain he was in from the rough handling. All of that was blurred out when he felt the first puncture to his lips from the hook Delphine held.

Each sensation of tugging through his mouth was nearly more horrific than the holes being pierced. Loki lost count of how many times his flesh was threaded. It couldn't possibly get worse.

"Would you like some pleasure, to go with that pain?" Delphine practically moaned, climbing into him again. Loki felt violated in part for his wife, knowing her form was usurped if only visually. If only he had the strength and focus required to see through the mask, to allow himself that small relief. Instead he was haunted by the hollow, evil eyes of the woman upon his lap, hands on his chest, watching him writhe against the guards sewing his mouth. Her hands wandered, one south of the border. Loki was in no place to be what she desired, he couldn't even believe this was where he would be found should the Avengers ever come for him.

At first, Loki went to attempt to speak. Of course that was met with severe agony. Would such a thing have ever happened if Thor had come? Perhaps it was his weakness, his solitude, and his failure to stay sharp which landed him here. 

Massive explosive noises came from above, but this just pushed the guards to do their work faster while Delphine laughed. Her noises were sinister, and so was her motivation. She knew as soon as she'd seen the Avengers in his mind that she'd likely lost her prisoner, and now she was hoping to take another to Thanos, realizing it would put her in his good graces. But first, her favourite task. A little bit of humiliation, and removing his best way out of trouble, this was going to be a good time. Avengers or no, she was going to keep him here. They underestimated her power without a decoy.

Loki struggled against his restraints, attempting not to tug while they pulled the string, eyes watering from the torment. He couldn’t hear anyone entering after the explosion, desperate to have this torture interrupted. Never before had he awaited Starks snarky commentary so keenly. 

“You will always be mine,” Delphine said as she caressed his bleeding, raw lips. “Until, of course, you belong to Thanos.” 

Why was no one here? Delphine appeared so calm, the guards were still standing in their places. The room was blurred from agony, but he knew his senses were still sharp enough to have known if the Avengers came. Delphine continued to make him as uncomfortable as humanly possible. She touched and started undressing him. 

“Just say No if you want me to stop.” Loki’s heart raced as he tried to conjure a duplicate of himself just so he could say no. As soon as he had created the clone, hopes rose, only to be dashed a moment later as he saw the clones mouth sewn shut as well. Only he should be able to control his clones, and he hadn’t conjured it with the stitching. 

“I guess that is a yes,” she was leaning down as she gasped suddenly. As soon as she was distracted, all of his clones shouted. A chorus of No was happening until he got another injection from a guard, he guessed to suppress seidr. 

The blurry filter on his vision started to change. It was a different sort of cloud, noise suddenly returning to his ears. Loki tried to gasp for air as panic set in, but had to settle for deep breaths through his nose as he started to truly take in his surroundings. 

Delphine was looking down upon herself. Or was she looking? Suddenly he noticed her eyes were glazed, her body limp. Her chin was tilted down, but she was sat upright upon him. As he searched her for response, he noticed with surprise that she had been impaled. With this realization, he then felt his lap full of blood. 

“Hello?” Loki urgently tried to ask the room as he slowly gained awareness of everything, only to be reminded of his wounds. The restraints faded, his collar snapped off. But who was there? Had they killed Delphine? Would someone be handing him over to Thanos momentarily? 

Every part of him hurt, his face felt worse than any direct hit could. Seeing the corpse of someone identical to his wife upon his lap sent chills and he could feel the tears running to mix with the blood of his mouth. It is not her. It’s not his beautiful Sigyn. He needed to remind himself, as her features slowly shifted before him back into her original form.

As soon as his heart slowed from confirming it was not truly his wife in some cruel trick of the mind, he felt the urge to vomit. An immediate need to quell that sensation came as he considered an Asgardian Prince choking to death on his own vomit, because his mouth had been sewn. 

Everything felt dirty. His clothes were barely on, and he could swear he still felt people touching him, maybe carrying him. While I knew there was blood, the true cause of his inner disgust was her molestation of him, and her passionate kisses as he played the game. There were few things he could do or say to take these actions back.

Ears begged to hear someone, to have his name called. How had he failed so? Would he be allowed on any missions again? If he survived this day, and was to end up back at Stark Tower, that is when he would fret. For right now, he let the blackness claim him. His senses were tricking him regardless.

***

A soft set of murmurs could be heard. He could hear! As much as this relieved Loki, he couldn’t sense much else. Naturally, he had always been very aware of his surroundings. Feeling deprived of this was a startling and uncomfortable situation. 

The voices were not close by, so he tried to perceive whether they were behind a door or if they just sounded distant. When he couldn’t decipher much further than that they were in the room somewhere, he wondered who the din belonged to. Each fact he could gather gave him hope he would eventually sharpen back up.

Could he see? As hard as he pulled his eyelids, the muscles wouldn’t budge and no vision awaited him. Could he move? Perhaps a small twitch came as he attempted to shake his hands or feet. Loki could barely feel anything, but he felt the blanket upon him. Next to try was speaking. That should be reasonable. 

Instantaneously, his memories rushed back to him. Loki’s entire face lit up like it was on fire, and, though slowly, he did will his body to respond. His arms came up to his mouth, tears starting to pool. He was no longer clothed, only in a gown. 

Somewhere in the mess of his response, Loki had opened his eyes and been able to look around. Spotting the blood on his hands, and the machines around him, he couldn’t help but think of his family. Where were his children? Where was his wife? Why hadn’t they undone his sutures while he slept?

“Loki, brother, you must stop. Lady Eir is on her way with what we need to cut your ties. You will be fine.” Thor was there, holding Loki down. Was he connected to an IV catheter? There were many things attached to him, but he couldn’t think of what Midgard would know to safely administer to a Jotunn. 

Loki allowed his body to relax onto the table. Fighting Thor was useless most days anyhow. Someone appeared behind Thor, a woman? An alien? She had big eyes and small antennae, but looked otherwise humanoid. Loki flinched away as she tried to reach for his head. 

“This is Mantis. She is whose life you helped save. She is here to help you, until Eir arrives. Your feelings run through her, but she can help you stay relaxed or go back to sleep, if you want.” Thor was being unusually tender. At times, Loki forgot he was no longer just a brash, idiotic, muscle man running around with his father’s toy. 

Loki felt the dirty, invaded remnants of his memories. He did not wish for any person to continue molesting his thoughts or emotions. Privacy had been made void and it was assaulting him to think others would have any further insight or control. Everything in his life had been set up around his facade, the barricade between his inner thoughts and feelings and the world who wished to abuse them. 

“I am not wanted. I will go back to my friends, if you need me please find me there.” Mantis must have sensed the boiling hostility and self degradation. As she fled the room, she almost ran into someone. Loki hoped it was Eir, and not some other Avenger. 

Thankfully, Lady Eir peeked in past the door, allowing Mantis to slip past. She looked exhausted, her hair not wrapped in its usual splendour. Loki wondered what time it was, and if perhaps Eir had been woken from slumber to help him. Were they at the Avengers Tower as he had originally thought? There would not be these machines on Asgard, so he must be.

“Thor!” Lady Eir stared, wide-eyed, at the blonde man after catching sight of Loki’s face. “I came as fast as I could. I have the blade you will need.” 

Eir couldn’t stop looking at Loki’s mouth, and then back to Thor. She handed him a blade, finished with gold, and touched his arm in a way that suggested she couldn’t use it herself. As if she were asking to not have to watch. 

“Loki. This thread she has used must be cut of the blade of someone close to you. But it is also entwined with a part of yourself, so it will be painful to remove. I believe the removal shall end quickly, however I am not able to hold you down and remove this at the same time. I know you will hate this, but I have asked Banner for assistance.” 

The stone cold glower of his brother showed Loki was no willing participant. Couldn’t someone else cut it while Thor held him down? Why not trust him to hold still? It wasn’t as if he had any low pain tolerance. 

As they waited in silence for Banner, Loki began watching the machines attached to him. When he caught Thor’s eye, he gestured to the needle in his arm. Maybe Thor would know what they were giving him, or how they knew it would help him. 

“It’s just to keep you hydrated. Mantis was providing pain relief and trying to keep you asleep until Eir was here, but you startled her and that’s when you woke.” Though he had been trying to help, Thor knew he was likely bruising his brothers ego in letting so many people see him so fragile. 

Watching the blade as Thor nervously turned it over in his hand, he noticed where it was from. This was the blade he had given Sigyn for her training under Sif. Why was she not here? He had hoped to spare her the sight. Being apart after what he did was likely for the best. Maybe keeping his mouth sewn was a just punishment for letting some other woman touch him in the first place. 

Thor noticed his brothers body language, the same face and appearance as when he would internalize everything. It was not as if he hadn’t seen the state Loki was in upon his arrival, his clothes torn from him, trousers open and covered in blood. Difficult as it was to not question his condition, he had heard that things had gone south. 

“Do not blame yourself. Caring for your family and thinking of them is no weakness. Banner will be here to help us free you from this cruelty, and this will be over.” Thor tried to sound as positive as possible. The pained stare he received back was so familiar to their childhood. Loki, before him, already decided he had failed and would never be enough. 

As Thor went to speak again, he was interrupted by a knock on the door. It opened and revealed the Hulk-Banner mix he had come to find familiar. Loki was probably not happy to see this new development, but after all this time would likely be just fine. 

Just when Thor thought it was going to be smooth sailing, he saw his brother’s face drop and eyes pop. His hands went up in front of him as he shook his head, still obviously unsure of how much control Banner would have over Hulk. Banner stood dutifully by the door, and Loki put on his best threatening glare. His mouth being sewn in such a manner, with massive redness and swelling from the poison of the chord, it was difficult to look upon. 

“I’m gonna disconnect you from all these machines. And I know you Asgardians have a high pain tolerance, but I think this chord being cut will feel like we are sawing through a nerve until it’s completely out. It’s laced in toxins. So if it is necessary I will be here to hold you down. But I am also going to have to immediately treat you after it is out.”

A distrusting furrow of Loki’s brow betrayed his true feelings. When Banner reached to disconnect Loki from the machines, Loki was breathing heavily and watching him like a hawk. It wasn’t Thor’s prerogative to make him feel any worse than he did, but he needed to get this chord out. He couldn’t believe how vastly Delphine had been underestimated and who had ended up the most hurt by it. 

Sigyn was absolutely distressed when Loki’s day trip had lacked his return. As relieved as Thor was to find him alive, he was worried that a traumatic event would reset Loki to old coping habits. 

Banner offered to restrain Loki but he simply glowered and set his nerves for what was to come. Loki braced himself and sat upright, perfect posture. He had been through the ringer before, he was not about to show weakness in front of an Avenger again. 

Thor unsheathed the knife and moved it gently beneath the chord. Simply the contact with the skin beneath, and tension on the area, was causing his heart to race. The instant the blade connected and applied pressure was excruciating. 

Every muscle in his body was bracing, tight as they could ever be. He felt his face scrunching, trying desperately not to cry out or let loose a tear. Sawing through a nerve was a particularly honest description. Ears rang, head ached, it felt like he would pass out. 

Thor hurriedly snapped the string, pulling it out as swiftly as he could. He saw the blood pour from his brother and the facade he had magically put over himself was flimsy at best. His responses were betrayed when his mind was too overwhelmed by pain to keep it up. 

The blade had never been meant to exist. Delphine had cursed her chord so that the only one who may cut it was his lover, who Delphine still somewhat believed to be dead. She had clearly meant to seal the deal with Loki in hopes he would have to be hers before he could ever speak again. Thought Mantis had quickly tried to put Loki to sleep when the Avengers had come to save him, no one could tell Thor how much he would recall. 

Loki choked in a breath through his mouth, trying to disguise his sob with coughs. Banner quickly ushered Eir inside the room, handing her medical tools as she mixed ointments. Even the applications were causing additional pain, and being so vulnerable was still not his strong suit. 

Loki felt the familiar biting cold of misdirected hatred. He wished to yell at Thor, to blame Stark, to fight the Hulk, just to get rid of these wretched feelings. As he opened his mouth to make a snide remark, he found himself peeling his lips apart from dried blood as Eir was still attempting to clean him up. 

“Ah, if it isn’t our resident Magic Man.” The voice of Nick Fury sent Loki overboard. 

“How DARE you speak to me like I was not just sent to my possible death with no plans to retrieve me. Do not insult me, for taking on the brunt of your misdeeds in some misguided attempt to help a stranger. If I wasn’t indebted to the Norns I would slaughter you where you stand. Do you understand me?” The icy brutality in his voice was emphasized by the blood he spoke through, his finger jabbing at Fury menacingly. Loki was shaking with rage.

“Call Stark and tell him I will never take another mission YOU have set up again. As a matter of fact, no more of this. I’m sorry, Thor. You know I cannot risk these things.” The hoarse voice coming from Loki was saturated with what only Thor could place as fear. Fear never for himself, but for his family to be left without him. To never see his family grow. 

Lady Eir stood, afraid, in the corner, still not yet finished her treatments. 

“Prince Loki, please, sit. I have orders from the King to treat you and you must not over exert your injuries. Allow me to complete my tasks, and you will be free to see your family.” 

Her words were harmless, yet surely even Lady Eir knew how ill-timed they were after the splitting silence that followed. Of course intended to ground the prince, calm him, they outed his carefully kept secret to someone Loki perceived as having just tried to let him die.


End file.
